Folding apparatus



Dec. 6, 1949 F. M. MCBETH FOLDING APPARATUS Filed April 28, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 FREEMAN M /7c 5577/ Dec. 6, 1949 F. M. M BETH FOLDING APPARATUS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 28, 1945 ammo bow Patented Dec. 6, 1949 FOLDING APPARATUS Freeman M. McBeth, Harrisburg,

Pa., assignor to Macbeth Engineering Corporation, a corporation of Pennsylvania Application April 28, 1945, Serial No. 590,752

2 Claims.

The present invention relates to a device or mechanism by which bags, cartons and similar receptacles fashioned from paper or like material may be folded and is especially adapted for the folding and closing of the open ends of such 5 receptacles when containing merchandise or other commodities.

The invention is primarily arranged to func tion in those instances where high production automatic folding machines are not required or would involve an unnecessary overhead expense and is especially designed for manual operation intermittently or continuously as the occasion might demand and under those circumstances where idleness of the machine would not be considered as a loss in the overhead investment.

Having the foregoing considerations in mind a simple mechanism has been evolved which includes a pair of fingers for receiving the open end portion of the bag or receptacle (while being held by the machine operator), and folding such end one or more times as a result of the rotation of the fingers occasioned by the movement of a treadle actuated by the foot of the operator. Under these circumstances both hands 25 of the operator are left free to hold or adjust the receptacle during the folding operation which is a material aid inthe speed of operations and uniformity of the folding of the successive packages, the latter at the present time being considered a desirable element of dress in aid of successful merchandizing.

When the folding operation is completed and the bag or receptacle withdrawn from the machine, automatic means are provided for restoring the several parts of the machine to their original position, ready for the next folding operation.

Following the folding operation, and especially where the folding is accomplished in a uniform manner, the receptacle may be delivered or passed on to a point where the folded portion may be stapled, closed by the application of a sealing strip or sealed by heat and pressure, if the material of the receptacle is responsive to such 45 treatment. other methods of closing or sealing the fold may also be used, none of which form, however, a part of the present invention.

In addition to a simple arrangement of the several parts going to make up the invention, their correlation is such that a minimum of manual effort is required for operation, so little indeed that women or children might operate the machine for long periods of time without fatigue. 55

Further objects and advantages of the invention'will become apparent from the following detailed description where reference is made to the accompanying drawings wherein Figure 1 is a side elevation of the improved mechanism, with the adjustable stud which limits the downward movement of the treadle shown fragmentarily.

Figure 2 is a and the barrel Figure 3 is an in Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a side view, partly in section, showing the arrangement of parts adjacent to and within the barrel or bearing which supports the folding fingers.

Figure 5 is an enlarged end view of the fingers and the means whereby the path of their rotation may be varied. Here the fingers are in position to receive the portion of the bag or receptacle to be folded following which they are rotated in an anti-clockwise direction as indicated by the arrow to eifect the folding.

Figure 6 is a view similar to Figure 5 but showing the position of the fingers at the conclusion of the folding operation. The fingers will thereafter be rotated in a clockwise direction as indicated by the arrow to their original or bag receiving position.

Figure 7 is a transverse section on the line 1-1 of Figure 1.

Figure 8 is a section on the line 8-8 of Figure 4.

Figure 9 is a perspective view of the inner end of the fingers, associated parts and the adjustable segment whereby the path of rotation of the fingers may be varied.

As shown in Figures 1 and 3 a suitable bracket or standard I supporting the receptacle folding mechanism may be fixed on a bench or table 2 and the foot treadle 3 for operating the folding mechanism may be pivotally fastened to the floor. Obviously, a frame or carriage may be provided to carry the standard and foot treadle as a unit so that the device as a whole may be moved from place to place as occasions may require.

The upper end of the bracket I supports a barrel or bearing block 4 longitudinally and horizontally bored to receive a bearing sleeve 5 of suitable material. This sleeve may be spilt or formed in several sections to reduce friction and in aid of lubrication of the bearing through an oil cap 6. A shaft 1 is mounted for rotation within the bearing sleeve and its ends extend plan view of the folding fingers or bearing supporting the same. end view of the mechanism shown beyond the bearing block as The left end of the shaft 1 (Figure 4) is bifurcated or slotted to receive the inner ends of a pair of spaced folding fingers 8. The length of these fingers should be such as to effectively fold the widest bag or receptacle inserted in the machine. Best results are obtained by having the fingers slightly longer than the width of the article to be folded. The fingers are spaced from each other a distance sufficient to accommodate the thickest material to be folded, although if the machine is to cover a wide range of thicknesses of material several pairs of fingers of different spacings (and lengths) may -be provided,

shown in Figure 4.

since a better control and conformity of the fold is best accomplished when the spaced relation between the fingers and the material to be folded is not too great.

As shown in Figure 2, the outer end of one or both of the fingers may be ground or flared outwardly as at 1 to provide an enlargement of the spacing of the fingers at this point so as to guide or funnel the end of the bag to be folded into the slot between the fingers when it is moved horizontally from left to right by the operator (Figs. 1, 2, '4) to assume the folding position. The disposition of the material from which the fingers are formed should be such that they will be substantially rigid and not unduly flexed in the :loading'and folding operation otherwise high spots =01 -localized zones "of excessive thickness may impair uniform folding across the width of the bag or receptacle.

:Observing .the fingers endwise or in cross section'the inner or slot forming faces H are substantially fiat and equally spaced and the outer surfaces are curved or convex in form so as to minimize friction :or undue gripping of the material being folded.

The inner ends of the fingers 8 are mounted in a slot or socket [2 formed in the shaft I with the fingers spaced to the desired extent by the spacer l3. Shims may be used to increase or decrease the spacing of the fingers 'as :occasion requires. Screws l4 serve to hold the fingers 8 and spacer l3 securely in the end'of the shaft 1.

The right end of the shaft (Fig. 4) beyond the bearing block 4 carries asheave I5 keyed thereto. One end portion of a fiexibe cable I6 is trained around the sheave and fastened thereto as at H in such a manner that a maximum downward pull upon the cable will produce substantially the desired rotation of the shaft 1 and fingers 8 carried thereby. The opposite end of the cable I6 is attached tnthe forward end of the treadle 1 3. The :rear end of the treadle is pivoted as at 3a to a block l8 fastened to the floor or it may be pivoted directly to the floor. An adjustable stud 19 provided with a lock nut |9a serves to limit the downard movement of the treadle 3 and may thus serve .to dampen the impact of the pin 38 against the face 21 of the abutment 25 hereinafter described. From the foregoing it is clear that 'a downward movement of the treadle will produce a rotation or revolution of the folding fingers 8.

After the fingers have completed their folding operation it is desirable to return them and the foot treadle to their original position for the next folding operation. To this end a torsion spring 25) is laid .around the bearing block 4 with one end attached thereto or to the bracket 1 and the opposite end attached to the shaft '1 .or sheave l5 keyed to said shaft.

It is desirable to fix or predetermine the :loading position of the fingers 8 and the slot therebetween and also to provide for identical folding operations by limiting the rotative movement of the fingers 8 and their supporting shaft 1. For this purpose a segment 22, mounted for adjustment on the bearing block 4 and about the axis thereof by virtue of the slots 23 and screws 2 is provided with an abutment 25 having opposite contact faces '26 and 2?. A collar 28 fast to the shaft 1 carries a pin 30 which extends outwardly to engage the faces 25 and 21 of the abutment 25. Figure '5 illustrates a selected loading position of the fingers 8 with the slot therebetween inclined slightly from the'vertical. The segment 22 is adjusted and locked so that the face 26 is engaged by the pin 30 which tends to move in a clockwise direction :under the influence of the torsion spring 20. When the treadle 3 is depressed to the maximum extent the fingers 8, their shaft 1 and consequently the pin 30 rotate in an anticlockwise direction, as indicated by the arrow in Figure 5 until the pin contacts the face 2'! of the abutment, see Figure 6. A comparison of Figures '5 'and B shows that the fingers 8 approximate a complete revolution and by so doing produce two effective folds of the receptacle which is sufficient for closing or sealing purposes. When the abutmentiis adjusted in one direction or the other, a chan'ge in the path of rotation of the pin 38 .and consequently the "shaft 7 and fingers 8 takes place. The amplitude of movement remains the same and consequently the character of theifold is'unafiected.

Upon the completion of the folding movements of the fingers, the bag or receptacle is withdrawn horizontally from the fingers and when it is clear of the fingers the operator removes his foot from the treadle whereuponthe fingers are rotated automatically by the effort of the spring '20 to their original position ready for the next folding operation.

I claim:

1. Ina device of the character described, the combination 'of a standard supporting a bearing block, a shaft mounted for rotation in the bearing block, a pair of substantially rigid and spaced fingers connected to said'shaft, said fingers being provided with substantially flat and parallel surfaces defining a slot between the fingers with the outer end portion of at least one of the fingers fiar'ed away from the opposite finger to provide an enlargement at the entrance end of said slot, a pulley fast to the opposite end of said shaft, a treadle below the level of the bearing block, a flexible connection between the treadle and pulley for rotating the latter in one direction, a torsion spring surrounding a part of the bearing block having one end connected to said block and the other end connected to said pulley for rotating the shaft in the opposite direction, an abutment provided with opposite surfaces carried by the bearing block, and a pin connected to the shaft for engaging at times one of said abutment surfaces and at other times engaging the other of said surfaces whereby the rotation of said shaft in either :directionis limited.

2. In a device of the character described, the combination of a standard supporting a bearing block, a shaft mounted for rotation in the bearing block, a pair of substantially rigid and spaced fingers connected'to said shaft, said fingers being provided with substantially flat and parallel surfaces defining a slot between the fingers with the outer end portion of at least one of the fingers flared away from the opposite finger to provide an enlargement of the entrance end of said slot, a pulley fast to the opposite end of said shaft, a treadle below the level of the bearing block, a flexible connection between the treadle and pulley for rotating the latter in one direction, a torsion spring surrounding a part of the bearing block having one end connected to said block and the other end connected to said pulley for rotating the shaft in the opposite direction, an abutment provided with opposite surfaces carried by the bearing block, a pin connected to the shaft for engaging at times one of said abutment surfaces and at other times engaging the other of said surfaces whereby the rotation of said shaft in either direction is limited, means for adjusting the abutment whereby to variably limit the rotational movement of said shaft, and adjustable means carried by the treadle for limiting its downward movement and thereby dampening the contact of the pin with one of said abutment surfaces.

FREEMAN M. MCBETH. REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Number Name Date Thomas Sept. 24, 1907 Shoemaker Apr. 24, 1934 FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date Great Britain Of A. D. 1884 Great Britain Of A. D. 1902 

